Hottest baby name trends of 2006

Many parents think of baby naming as a private process of reflection, discussion, and ultimately, a choice of the heart. But it's also a sport! Every year we watch names rise and fall on the chart like stocks on Wall Street. Here's a roundup of the most interesting activity in the 2006 baby names list, from fun stats and analysis to predictions of what lies ahead.

The 2006 baby name playbook

Names zoom up and down the chart, and newcomers pop in while some old favorites head for the exit. Here's the 2006 play-by-play.

Notable mentions

Creative spelling

If you look at the past five years or so of baby names, you'll be forgiven for thinking that many parents lack imagination. The same names appear again and again, perhaps sliding modestly up or down a few spaces.

But the truth is, behind the numbers lies a wealth of experimentation and innovation. Today's parents are actually far more creative than their parents were, and their imagination may astound you. And it all comes down to spelling.

Sounds like ...

Single-syllable names are quite popular for boys (nearly 20 percent of the Top 100), but not popular for girls (only 6 percent).

Almost 40 percent of the top 100 boys' names have a suffix with the sound "-en": Logan, Landon, Devin.

Nearly 40 percent of the top 100 girls' names have a suffix with the sound "-ah": Alyssa, Amanda, Amelia.

And almost 30 percent of the top 100 girls' names have a suffix with the sound "-ee": Hailey, Riley, Kaylee.

The Crystal Ball: 2007 predictions

So what's ahead? In girls' names, we predict that Emma will finally be dethroned by Madison. In boys' names, we don't think much will change in the Top 10, and Aiden will still be on top. Only time will tell!

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